This £409 plug-in solar kit could be one of the best bundles to buy right now

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Lightweight panels make this bundle an intriguing alternative to rigid designs, but positioning, mounting costs and electricity use will shape the savings

I grant you, it doesn't seem like a great time to be thinking about investing in solar power for your home, with the autumn months rolling in and the clocks going back in less than a fortnight.

But this £409 deal on Amazon might be one of the most appealing plug-in solar bundles we've seen go on sale, so it's worth looking into.

Plug-in solar became legal in the UK in the late summer, and we're only just starting to see competition driving prices down.

Compliant kits must have a microinverter, solar panels, and a sealed UK-standard plug that literally just goes straight into the wall. There's no wiring, no electricians need to visit, you just face the panels into the sun, plug it in, and start saving.

Why go for this Amazon kit?

What makes this £409 Lionshee kit quite interesting is it comes with flexible solar panels. These are smaller, lighter, and usually a lot easier to place than rigid panels you see on the roofs of houses.

They could be hung from a fence, draped across a shed roof, or even attached to a curved surface like a roof or a balcony. Either way, they're much easier to handle and still efficient.

You get four of these flexible panels, offering up to 960 watts of solar in total, and the microinverter that converts 800 watts of the solar energy into household-friendly electricity.

It is possible to buy a compliant kit for less than £409, but this one has more than enough solar capacity to send plenty of energy through the microinverter, and flexible panels will suit some people better than bulky rigid ones.

When will you see a return on your investment?

Yes, £409 is a lot to stump up for a solar bundle that probably won't generate much over the autumn and winter months.

But when the days do get longer during the spring and summer next year, the savings you could make could be pretty healthy.

So you could conceivably earn back the money you paid for the kit in three to four years, and after that you're quids in. Given that Lionshee offers a 10-year warranty, this is actually a pretty good way of spending £400.

Any hidden extras?

There might be a few extra costs to consider with this setup, as with any plug-in solar bundle.

Firstly, the panels need to be mounted securely. It's easier with these lighter, flexible panels, but they must be able to withstand a storm, so think carefully about your fixings.

You might also need some extra cabling, depending on how far your inverter and plug socket are from your panels. Solar cables aren't cheap and you mustn't use a basic extension cable for the microinverter.

Work out your setup and budget for these potential add-ons before you commit to your project.